In the words of Tyrell Wilson, the second president of
the Civic Association, "The Gordon Heights
Progressive Association was the parent body of the Gordon
Heights Fire Department and Gordon Heights Fire District.
It gave the Gordon Heights Fire Department absolute use
of the present building and grounds It bought the first
fire truck and, in 1948, there was an organized fire
department."

For many years there was no fire
department in the area for Gordon Heights. Outside areas,
which had a department, were under no obligation to come
and put out fires in this community. The burning down of
the first church building convinced the community even
more of its need for fire protection.

The Civic Association worked hard toward
a fire department in order to resolve their problem. The
men were offered and accepted training from the Medford
Fire Department. Later, the Gordon Heights Fire
Department was incorporated. When the firehouse became
too small for the fire department and the Civic
Association, the residents moved toward a fire district
whereby taxes would be levied and financial assistance
given for the expansion of the department. Petitions were
signed by residents and taken to the Town Board. The
first commissioners were selected until an election could
take place in one year. These men were appointed from
1952-53.

The first ambulance was bought by the
Civic Association and the residents financially supported
other things needed that the tax money did not cover.
Even though some areas of the community were not in the
fire district, the Gordon Heights Fire Department would
come to the "no man's land" whenever needed.

It is most significant that these
pioneers of the Gordon Heights community not only
established the first black fire department and fire
district in New York State, but did it out of a need to
survive and protect their life investment- their
community.